Willi Castro had a home run and two RBIs to lead the host Detroit Tigers to a 3-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.
The Tigers have won consecutive games for the first time since April 21-23.
Detroit also clinched only its second series win of the season.
Detroit's bullpen tossed 7 2/3 innings of scoreless relief after starter Michael Pineda had to leave the game with a right hand contusion. Pineda was hit by a line drive off the bat of Baltimore's Ramon Urias.
The Tigers seized a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Castro. Jonathan Schoop scored after reaching third base on a leadoff double and subsequent fielding error by Ryan McKenna.
Detroit claimed a 2-0 lead with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning on a solo home run to left field by Eric Haase.
In the seventh inning, the Tigers upped their advantage to 3-0 on a solo shot to left by Castro. The blast was his first of the season.
Wily Peralta (1-0) relieved Pineda in the second and didn't allow a hit in 2 2/3 innings of relief.
Jason Foley tossed two scoreless innings of relief before Joe Jimenez and Andrew Chafin pitched one frame each.
In the ninth, Detroit closer Gregory Soto allowed a leadoff single to Trey Mancini, but induced a double play from Anthony Santander and struck out Urias to end the game and earn his fifth save of the season.
Bruce Zimmerman (2-2) took the loss on the mound for the Orioles. He allowed three runs (two earned) and seven hits, walking one and striking out two in six-plus innings of work.
Baltimore only collected four hits in the game.
--Field Level Media
Baltimore | Detroit | |
Bruce Zimmermann | Player | Michael Pineda |
Loss | W/L | No Decision |
6.0 | IP | 1.1 |
2 | Strikeouts | 0 |
7 | Hits | 0 |
3.00 | ERA | 0.00 |
Baltimore | Detroit | |
Trey Mancini | Player | Eric Haase |
1 | Hits | 2 |
0 | RBI | 1 |
0 | HR | 1 |
1 | TB | 5 |
.333 | Avg | .667 |